What are The Best Ways to Market a Seminar?

8 replies
Good Morning All!

I had my first offline marketing questionnaire meeting with a business owner and it went extremely well. I have gained a lot of confidence in the past few months from hearing of your successes and admonitions.

I met this prospect at a referral group meeting (GoldStar) and he originally asked me to take a look at his website as an SEO company had given him a proposal and wanted well over $5K if all of the options were chosen.

He was overwhelmed with it all. I told him I am not a website or SEO guy but that is part of the overall plan I implement.

After a follow up phone call with him for over a half hour, we arranged a two hour meeting.

No hyped up attitude on my part, simply learning how I could help. I asked questions and listened. At the end, he was impressed that I looked at his overall business, not just the website stuff.

It all boils down to filling his seminar seats at different events around the country. He is a Myofacial specialist and trains massage therapists in this specialized technique and charges $200 or $300 for a two day workshop.

Right now the average attendance is 24 and he needs to increase it to 45-50.

He gets the 24 from an email blast through a certificating association. The massage therapists have opted in to receive mailings from the Association but with an on open rate of less than 1%, his emails are being considered spam and deleted. This is double the number over the last couple of years when he was only using a direct mailing of his brochure.

We know exactly how many potential attendees are in each state. Asking him to pick his top 5 equates to an average of 2,000 per location and Florida with 12,000.

He has no other means of attracting seminar participants and never does any follow up except for a once a year ad in the trade publication with no tracking.

Here is what I see that needs to happen to fill these seats:

1. Write a compelling enough email to get the therapists to opt in to his own list.
2. Regularly drip them usable content with several reminders about his seminars (newsletter).
3. About 2 months in advance of the seminar, start taking registrations, with an early bird discount or bonus.
4. Add a lot of content to his website.
5. Combine that content into a book.
6. Record the seminar and offer the audio to participants.
7. Offer door prizes
8. In addition to website registration, have a toll free number.
9. Offer a further coaching program.
10. Have a "meet & greet" the night before.
11. Create YouTube videos.
12. Write articles for the trade publication.
13. Create a database and follow up system (everything is on paper)

The biggest goal I see is to position him as the obvious expert and grow his email list.

1. What else am I not seeing here?
2. What further advice/guidance do you have for me?
3. How much lead time is needed to fill the seats? He has one in September.
4. What would you suggest I charge? Thinking 15-20% of revenues or a flat monthly rate.

I am very grateful for any help you can provide this Newbie.

David
#market #seminar #ways
  • Profile picture of the author Lance K
    Can he get mailing addresses from the association? Has he tried direct mail?

    Maybe something as simple as a postcard that directs massage therapists to his website to claim some type of free report would be effective. A test run should be rather inexpensive.
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    "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
    ~ Zig Ziglar
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  • Profile picture of the author davidkimball
    Ahh, postcard. How did that slip my mind? He does not like direct mail as it failed him in the past -- even though he only sent a brochure and registration piece.

    But your suggestion is of course valid and I will suggest a sampling of it.

    Thanks, Lance.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lance K
      Originally Posted by davidkimball View Post

      Ahh, postcard. How did that slip my mind? He does not like direct mail as it failed him in the past -- even though he only sent a brochure and registration piece.

      But your suggestion is of course valid and I will suggest a sampling of it.

      Thanks, Lance.
      Perhaps he still has a copy of his last direct mail package. If you could review it, you could help him understand why it didn't work. You might have to be a little delicate in presenting your critique though, just in case he acted as his own copywriter.

      Also, I noticed there is quite a bit of search volume for myofascial treatment, myofascial pain treatment, myofascial release therapy, myofascial therapist(s), etc.

      If he's looking for an added revenue stream, he could start a directory of massage therapists who perform such therapy and charge them to be included. He could offer a discount to seminar attendees. It wouldn't take a whole lot of time/effort to run it if he was interested. And he could probably outsource most of the work.

      Also, he could recommend your services to seminar attendees to help build their practice (and collect some nice referral fees in the process).
      Signature
      "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
      ~ Zig Ziglar
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  • Profile picture of the author davidkimball
    Now THAT is a golden idea. Your Zig quote is my favorite and one I try to practice every day. See, it works! :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Congratulations on getting the client first of all.

      Just a few observations...

      Ask your client - who else is in contact with the therapists
      he wants to attract to his seminars? (aside from their
      professional association). Look at the potential of having
      other businesses recommend his course.

      Rather than just going after more attendees, has he considered
      increasing the fee for his seminars and positioning them at
      the high end (with corresponding high value too of course)?
      Is the $200-300 the going rate for a 2-day seminar for
      therapists or will they pay more?

      The more he charges, the bigger percentage you get too.

      Does he have a list of attendees from previous courses?
      They may be interested in attending a refresher.

      Offer an incentive where people can bring along a colleague
      at a preferential rate, e.g. 50% of the ticket price.

      Consider adding a free webinar/teleseminar to the mix to
      increase interaction, build the relationship and identify the
      hotter prospects from his list. Look for ways to further
      segment the list to allow the hotter prospects to indicate
      their level of interest.

      Between 2001 and 2004 I ran a number of seminars and we
      used to have lead time of a minimum of 6 weeks.

      I hope these points are useful for you.

      Dedicated to your success,

      Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author davidkimball
    Hey Shaun, I am grateful for your input. Have not got him yet, but real close. And adding your ideas to the mix, he cannot help but be impressed.

    Have thought of raising prices. Competitors are charging $350-400 for the same thing but have other added value items.

    Yes he has a list, so the refresher idea is great. Maybe also a "meet and greet" the night before for 2 hours where he mingles and answers questions.

    The webinar/telesminar is a great idea, maybe a free 45 minute one outlining the class and answering any questions. And then a "first 20 bonus".

    What do you mean by
    Look for ways to further segment the list to allow the hotter prospects to indicate their level of interest.
    ? Backend products/services?

    6 weeks is a good lead time. Thinking, starting a mention 10 weeks out and then begin to take registrations at 6 weeks?

    Appreciate the input,

    David
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Originally Posted by davidkimball View Post

      Look for ways to further segment the list to allow the hotter prospects to indicate their level of interest.
      As you're building the list of prospects, some will be more
      interested than others.

      The way to find out who's really interested is to make them
      some simple offers: e.g. download a brochure, get a free
      report, request a CD or DVD, etc.

      Then track who takes these actions and follow-up with them
      more closely.

      This way, your client can better allocate their resources to
      the people who are most interested.

      Not all subscribers are created equal.

      If competitors are charging $350-400 then explore what else
      your prospect needs to do to charge the same or higher.

      Good luck.

      P.S. Don't give away your valuable strategies until your
      prospect becomes a client. Focus on the problems they
      have now and the results you can help them achieve.
      They need to pay for the specifics on how to do it!

      Dedicated to your success,

      Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author davidkimball
    OK, I understand what you mean now. And no, I am only giving him the what and why. The how comes after the check :-).

    Using what I learned elsewhere and creating a mindmap which I will call a Strategic Blueprint.
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